PAY YOUR RENT AND BOND WITH AMEX/Visa/Mastercard [merged threads]

[casp]

Don't forget the GST!
Including GST that's 1.32% For Visa/Master and 2.97% for Amex!

 

[Mal]

Amex are currently promoting this service. They'll give 2000 Qantas FF points (or 2000 MR points) if you sign up for the service with your Qantas Amex card.

American Express and http://rentalrewards.com.au/public/info.html?d=INR_AU&d=INR_AU&name=americanexpress

2. In order to qualify for the 2,000 additional points you must register an eligible Australian dollar Qantas American Express Card with Rental Rewards between 3rd June 2008 and 3rd December 2008 to authorise Rental Rewards to process your rental payments. Please allow 8-10 weeks for additional points to appear in your account.

Fee for credit cards has gone up/down to 1.76% (Inc GST) regardless of Credit Card used.

RentalRewards also offers FF points if you register your FF number with them (1000 signup, 1000 per year for Credit Card 250 signup/250 per year for bank account)

 

[serfty]

That 1.76% would be right on the cusp for making this worthwhile.

On a monthly rental of $1000, that's a $17.60 loading. Is that worth 1,000 MR points? (Or with a Rewards Maximiser 1,500?)

For most 1¢ per point value is about what can be attained. This can increase through judicious burning, also, the more points you have, the greater per point value can generally be attained.

YMMV.

(FWIW, This year I have burned over 120K MR points, attaining an overall notional value of around 2½¢ per point.)

 

[Maca44]

Until reading this thread I didn't realise that Rental Rewards charges amex at the same rate, so I have just changed from visa to amex as its 500 or so extra points for nothing and ANZ Visa only gives .5 points after you reach as $2500 spend. As they say, money for jam.

 

[pauly7]

That 1.76% would be right on the cusp for making this worthwhile.

On a monthly rental of $1000, that's a $17.60 loading. Is that worth 1,000 MR points? (Or with a Rewards Maximiser 1,500?)

For most 1¢ per point value is about what can be attained. This can increase through judicious burning, also, the more points you have, the greater per point value can generally be attained.

YMMV.

(FWIW, This year I have burned over 120K MR points, attaining an overall notional value of around 2½¢ per point.)

And that isn't even taking into account how you could invest that money over your cards interest free period to offset that fee! Think I will sign up now too.

 

[pauly7]

Amex are currently promoting this service. They'll give 2000 Qantas FF points (or 2000 MR points) if you sign up for the service with your Qantas Amex card.

American Express and Rental Rewards - Pay your Rent the easy and rewarding way

Doesn't have to be a Qantas Amex card from my understanding? On the rental rewards site it just says 'Amex' and MR points...

 

[Mal]

Doesn't have to be a Qantas Amex card from my understanding? On the rental rewards site it just says 'Amex' and MR points...

Yeah, it's not particularly clear. Amex only seem to be promoting the offer for the Qantas cards, RentalRewards is promoting it as valid for MR cards.

Who knows!! (But I assume that any Amex card that's attached to the MR or Qantas scheme will get 2000 points)

 

[pauly7]

Yeah, it's not particularly clear. Amex only seem to be promoting the offer for the Qantas cards, RentalRewards is promoting it as valid for MR cards.

Who knows!! (But I assume that any Amex card that's attached to the MR or Qantas scheme will get 2000 points)

I agree its not clear. But if you forget the AMEX site and just look @ RR then

- Sign up with ANY Amex enabled with MR before Dec and get 2000 MR reward bonus points credited to your MR account (after first rental payment)
- When you sign up, enter your QFF number in the promo code box and you will get 1000 points credited to your QFF account (after first rental payment) and 1000 points every 12 months
- Then your earn rate is whatever your card is per rental dollar on top of that (1-1.5 etc)

So really its a 3000 point bonus point for signing up. Is everyone else reading this the same way?

 

[opusman]

I signed up, but I didn't see anywhere to give them my QFF number - am I just blind or was there no provision for it?

 

[pauly7]

I signed up, but I didn't see anywhere to give them my QFF number - am I just blind or was there no provision for it?

Not blind , but you skipped over reading this part:

Start benefiting now:
Simply enter your Qantas Frequent Flyer number in the 'Promo Code' field when you complete the Tenant Registration Form.

 

[JohnK]

Not sure if the 1.76% surcharge would be worthwhile for the FF points earned. Much better than a mileage run but accumulate more FF points or MR points that are getting harder to use....

 

[pauly7]

Not sure if the 1.76% surcharge would be worthwhile for the FF points earned. Much better than a mileage run but accumulate more FF points or MR points that are getting harder to use....

Whether it is worthwhile or not is up to the individual, their own circumstances and the way in which they utilise them (there are many different values being acheived and given as examples - even on this thread).

And what do you mean getting harder to use the points? in general they are getting easier to use!

 

[beardoc]

Not sure if the 1.76% surcharge would be worthwhile for the FF points earned. Much better than a mileage run but accumulate more FF points or MR points that are getting harder to use....

I would disagree.

A Star Alliance 7 city round the world trip in Business Class booked through Singapore Airlines Krisflyer is 240,000 Krisflyer points

240,000 Krisflyer points = 240,000 Amex MR points
240,000 Amex MR points = $160,000 spend on Amex (assuming 1.5 points per dollar)
160,000 spend at 1.76% fee = $2816.

So for $2816 in fees, you've got the 7 city round the world *A fare in BUSINESS CLASS (edit: plus taxes, of course).

Sounds like a good deal to me!

 

[serfty]

To name a few, currently 33,400 Amex MR points can be converted to:

• 20,000 SPG
• 50,000 HHonors
• 25,000 AAdvantage

HHonors, especially, are quite easy to use these days ...

 

[JohnK]

I agree that some people will see paying a surcharge as good value in earning extra MR points. I feel the value is marginal and not that special but that opinion could easily change if I had a specific award in mind. I don't believe in accumulating MR points just in case they become useful to me at some point in the future.

And what do you mean getting harder to use the points? in general they are getting easier to use!

With QF anyseat awards? No thanks. Or possibly you are referring to the recent enhancement of better conversion rates for Amex MR points to *Alliance carriers.

I am finding QFF points harder to use for the flights I want unless I plan another Oneworld RTW award, which is almost impossible considering I started a new job in BNE just this week, or booking award flights almost 12 months in advance, which is also very difficult for me to do.

 

[straitman]

With QF anyseat awards? No thanks. Or possibly you are referring to the recent enhancement of better conversion rates for Amex MR points to *Alliance carriers.

There's that word again.

 

[JohnK]

There's that word again.

Yes I know it is not a great word but in the case of Amex and conversion of MR points to *Alliance it has been a major improvement. I just wish I had the time to go to Europe....

 

[steveadolph]

Rental Rewards

I am considering whether American Express Rental Rewards charging you 1.76% on your rent is a good deal or not?

Is 50,000 points for $700 a year (I have a premium card so you do a bit better than 1 for 1) a good deal?

Also on rental rewards website they say this program will work with all agents in australia but do not know if this is everyone's experience.

Thanks,


Steve

 

[Mal]

Re: Rental Rewards

Hi steveadolph, and welcome.

Rental Rewards has been discussed quite in depth in this other thread:

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...ss-rewards/pay-your-rent-bond-amex-11198.html , which you should probably refer to.

I don't think that all rental agencies would accept Rental Rewards for several reasons. Some of them are sticklers for their way of doing things.
Others might get kickbacks from other rental payment systems etc, or just not trust Rental Rewards.

 

[JohnK]

Re: Rental Rewards

I was trying to do the sums when I first saw this advertised a few weeks back.

I pay $13,500 rent per annum and that would equate to a surcharge of ~$238. Now is 16,875 QFF points worth ~$238? Considering it would only get me a SYD-BNE without the taxes one would think not worth it at face value. YMMV....